Come Play the Build a Better Hospital Game!

TracyB,RN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Oh my God... ONLY ONE???? waaaa..... lemme think......

OK, here's mine.... 1 RN, 1LPN, 1CNA to take a team of No more than 5 Med/Surg patients, EVER!!!!!!! This ratio of course would be altered depending on the acuity of the patients AND the unit... ICU, TELE, PEDs, PACU....

Mommy2Katiebaby · Jan 5, 2005

All units in the round, each with their own central supply, pharmacy, radiology, charting stations, linen / supply closets, and food service stations in the middle.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

I'd vote for all private rooms. I actually asked our CEO about that, he said the hospital was designed that way, but at the time the authorizing agency for Medicare wouldn't approve all private rooms, so walls got erased from the blueprints and curtains put up in their place. Patients usually get along okay, but I've seen family members almost come to blows.

We have a dumbwaiter to bring stuff up from central supply--broken after some kids tried to ride in it. We have a pneumatic tube system for labs and meds and paperwork--when it isn't broken, you can't find containers for it. I shouldn't complain, though. I'll never be automated out of a job, and I have calves that can kick holes in a bank vault.

MizRani · Jan 5, 2005

A computer that could record what you're saying so you would never have to chart ever again and have more time for patient care. Also, you'd never have to waste time calling a Dr cuz you couldn't read what THEY wrote.

:rolleyes:

bellehill, RN · Jan 5, 2005

I love the voice recording idea. How about rooms big enough that we aren't tripping over chairs, tables, bags when we try to do patient care. Oh yeah, and all the equipment the patient will need is at the bedside waiting to be used.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Ancillary staff that do their job!!!! (sorry if I've offended the two or three that exist out there)

This includes (but is not limited to), Unit secretaries, transport, dietary, housekeeping. Oh, and did I mention CNAs???

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Just one small request please.

Power outlets where I can always reach them. How about hanging from overhead like in a manufacturing plant?

rnmls · Jan 5, 2005

i'm with you bonemarrowrn, new buildings and technology are nice but what is needed so despeartly are staff members that actually have read their job descriptions and are willing to perform those duties without a hassle. do you think we could build ancillary staff:rolleyes:

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Sorry I tried but couldn't keep it to one issue, this is my downsized suggestion.

The perfect hospital would have beds that can all be low beds for the dementia patients that think they can still walk in the middle of the night. That way they would not fall far before we can answer the call light attached to their gown that pulled out of the wall when they went over the footboard head first. The beds should also be weigh beds as we need that on a lot of patients.

More than 3 beds per facility for extra large size patients, 6'2" and taller and 400# and heavier.

Armed guards to put agressive families in place, fine em if needed or arrest em for threatening staff cuz mom got old.

Soft cushy floors like they have for dressage horses, why not treat nurses like they are $150,000 treasures.

Pixes that delivers meds to bedside with a vacuum system...and dressings....and charges in the computer for you. You only have to confirm or chart refusal by shift end.

Admission department with a better communication with the social workers....this might defer the "dump" patients and let us handle properly those that we can handle as opposed to the overwhelmed facility desperately looking to get rid of that same patient.

Social workers all have a degree in english/communications, they can defuse something quicker than water on a match, make sure you have enough of them.

A mental health advocate for the staff, behavior specialist, social worker, psych nurse....someone who can defuse and debrief when the situation at hand really needs this. Someone like that would keep all the media sitting at bay looking for a story in health care.

Automatic locking system for not letting people in the building after 9:30pm as that has been proven when the not so right in the head do lurk and stalk. Appropriate admission into the facility could be done after this safety hour with the two person team that allows appropriate persons into the building.

Have an active preventive health clinic to keep the admissions to a reasonable level.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Wow,, i guess i should consider myself lucky. We are in the process of replacing beds, with internal scale, outlets at the foot of the bed for those SCD hose you get caught on the overbed table all the time. We have wonderful unit secretaries that go get blood, keep our forms stocked, answer telephones and questions when they can.

But, i have to agree with the suggested staffing ratio of nurses to med/surg patients. It gets way to dangerous,, i had 12 patients the other night(yes a LPN and CNA), when i left work and felt like i had run the Boston marathon. Staffing is the biggest problem i see, along with of course the unreadable stat orders.

Morning-glory · Jan 6, 2005

After spending a night doing 25 complete bed changes:uhoh3: , I'm all for a new way of doing things. I once saw an ad in Nursing Magazine for a fancy dancy bed that you (gently) hose down people to keep them clean, but it had to be emptied out manually. :idea: GROSS!!! Holes in the matress, draining into a basin underneath. Lots of issues for infection control and for the patient. Good theory, but reality probably came crashing in to wreck that party. Was advertised for ICU.

I do agree that there needs to be a better way of getting people to the bathroom so that we don't break our backs trying vainly to keep them clean. How about bathrooms that are big enough to accomodate a walker and a mildly obese patient and a nurse? It's not just the skinny ones that break their hips!